Monday, November 11, 2013

A Step in the Write Direction--November 11, 2013--Leads

A
Step in the Write
Direction

November
11, 2013

Update:
It’s almost Thanksgiving, and one of the things we should be most thankful for
today is FREEDOM. As my songwriting nephew wrote, “Freedom isn’t free.” Do you know a
veteran, or someone who is serving today? Send them a note and say “Thank
you.”…Our daughter Patty had a
seizure at work last week, and we’re thankful it didn’t happen while she was
driving; also that her brother was nearby and caught her so she didn’t fall….I’m
thankful also today for my friend,
Peggy, who lost her husband two weeks ago. She wrote a suspense/romantic
novel three years ago but never marketed it. A few days ago I sent it to Kathi
Macias who is now fiction editor for Elk Lake Publishing, who almost immediately
sent Peggy a contract! Our critique
group is ecstatic for her! Do you have
something in your closet that needs to be sent to someone? Get it out today,
take it to a critique group, and look for a market. The next contract might be yours!

Thought
for Today:

“
It just hurts me to think of all the young people who do not know a hymn...[or]
a single scripture verse, and who have never sat next to the strong shoulder of
a believing man or woman. How will they ever make it? You see, what we do here
on Sunday...is that we are making memories.” (Fred Craddock, The Cherry Log
Sermons, 59)

Laugh
for Today:

A Baptist pastor from Texas, during an extended
drought, visited a pastor friend in Florida."How are you getting along without water in your state?" the friend
asked.

"Well," the pastor replied, "it's so bad that
the Baptists are sprinkling, the Methodists are using a damp cloth, and the
Presbyterians are taking a rain check."

Song
for Today:

Lead, kindly Light, amid th’
encircling gloom, lead Thou me on!The night is dark, and I am far from home;
lead Thou me on!Keep Thou my feet; I
do not ask to seeThe distant scene; one step enough for
me.

Writer’s
Tips (Samples of Good Leads):

We
brought her home from the hospital. We had awaited the moment with excitement
for almost nine months. We brought her into the newly remodeled room that had
been a sewing room. It was freshly painted a pastel pink, and the flower print
curtains just matched.

We
gently laid her in her new bed and raised the sides to keep her from falling
out. We looked at her pink and wrinkled face. She looked like a prune but she
was ours and we loved her.

We
changed her diapers. It was no fun, but we knew it would be necessary for a
while. We fed her slowly, being careful not to spill food on her
bib.

She
was crying herself to sleep as we tiptoed out of the room. We looked at each
other, put our arms around each other, and held each other close. It was a
loving moment: Grandma was home from the hospital. (Paul Thornton, “Coming Full
Circle,” Lutheran Standard, May 3,
1985, p. 15)

*
* *

Or
how about these:

“Where’s
Papa going with that ax?” said Fern to her mother as they were setting the table
for breakfast. (E.B. White, Charlotte’s Web)

The
Herdmans were absolutely the worst kids in the history of the world. (Barbara
Robinson, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever)

He
had earned a high position in our local Hell’s Angels gang by being the toughest
abuser of alcohol, drugs and the law. He was reckless, violent and pagan. He was
my son, Barry. (“Dealing with a Wayward Child,” Guideposts
magazine)

*
* *

SALE: Books by Donna
Clark Goodrich

Will take IOUs or
postdated checks for up to 30 days!!

Christmas Is
Coming…These Will Make Great Gifts!!

(s&h: $3 for first book; $1 for each additional book)

Title of Book_________________Regular PriceSale Price (plus
s&h)

A Step in the Write Direction,
the Complete

How-to Book for Christian
Writers$25.00$15.00

A Step—Student Edition
w/assignments

throughout book$17.00$10.00

The Freedom of Letting Go$15.00$10.00

Healing in God’s Time—story of
Dave Clark,

songwriter of
25 #1 songs$15.00$10.00

Preparing Your Heart for
Christmas—

31 Advent devotions$10.00$7.00

Ohio
Cookbook$10.00$5.00

Michigan
Cookbook$10.00$5.00

Writer’s Club
Booklet(self-published)$15.00$15.00 (Sorry!)

Motivational
Moments$10.00$5.00

Celebrate Christmas
anthology—stories,

poems, and
recipes$24.95$15.00

Grandmother/Mother
anthology—stories,

poems, and recipes$24.95$15.00

Divine
Healing—365 devotions for dieters$10.00

* * *

Coming in 2014: The Little Book of Big
Laughs (joke book)—160 pages for only $5.95

About Me

Donna Clark Goodrich, freelance writer, editor, and speaker is a wife, mother of three and grandmother of two. A native of Jackson, Michigan, she has lived in Mesa, Arizona, since 1969. She enjoys teaching at Christian writers conferences. Author of 23 books and over 700 published manuscripts, Donna says, “I write devotional and self-help books to encourage Christians in their daily walk with God, how-to books to train writers, biographies to tell other people's stories, short stories and poetry for readers' enjoyment, and personal experience articles to share how God has helped me through life situations.”
dgood648@aol.com; www.thewritersfriend.net